Activation of Carbon Dioxide:  Gas-Phase Reactions of Y⁺, YO⁺, and YO₂⁺ with CO and CO₂

Insight into the fundamental character of carbon dioxide activation at metal centers is studied in the gas phase using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. The reactions of Y + and YO + with CO 2 and the reverse reactions, YO + and YO 2 + with CO, are investigated. To probe the potential energy surfaces of these systems more completely, YO 2 + and the complexes OY(CO 2 ) +, OY(CO) +, and O 2 Y(CO) + are studied by collisional activation experiments with Xe. Thermochemical analysis of the reaction cross sections obtained in this study yield (in eV) D 0 (Y + −CO) = 0.31 ± 0.11, D 0 (OY + −CO) = 0.71 ± 0.04, D 0 (O 2 Y + −CO) = 0.69 ± 0.03, and D 0 (OY + −CO 2 ) = 0.89 ± 0.05.